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[Bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma: apropos of 3 cases]
A Deschildre1, A Sardet, J Brouard
1Service de réanimation infantile, CHU de Lille, France.
Insights
Mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MEC) are rare bronchial gland tumors in children presenting with respiratory symptoms. Early diagnosis via bronchial endoscopy is crucial for successful surgical treatment and favorable outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Pulmonology
- Rare Cancers
Background:
- Mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MEC) are exceptionally rare, potentially malignant tumors originating from bronchial glands, with fewer than 20 cases documented.
- These tumors represent a significant diagnostic challenge due to their rarity and potential for malignancy.
Observation:
- Three pediatric cases (two boys, one girl aged 5-11 years) presented with prolonged respiratory symptoms including cough, recurrent pneumonia, and hemoptysis.
- Bronchial endoscopy revealed obstructive masses in the main bronchi, with CT scans showing local extension and associated lung lesions.
- Histopathological examination confirmed MEC in all three patients.
Findings:
- Surgical resection, including segmental bronchial resection and lobectomy in some cases, successfully removed the tumors in all patients.
- No evidence of metastasis was observed in any of the cases.
- Patients experienced uneventful recovery with follow-up periods ranging from 8 to 24 months.
Implications:
- Persistent respiratory symptoms in children, such as chronic cough, recurrent pneumonia, or hemoptysis, warrant consideration of rare bronchial tumors.
- Bronchial endoscopy is an essential diagnostic tool for identifying these pediatric airway neoplasms.
- Timely diagnosis and surgical intervention can lead to excellent prognoses for pediatric mucoepidermoid carcinomas.
Background:
Mucoepidermoïd carcinomas (MEC) are very rare (less than 20 cases reported in the literature) and potentially malignant bronchial gland carcinomas.
Patients:
Three children, two boys (11 and 7 years old) and one girl (5 years old) suffered from respiratory symptoms such as cough, recurrent pneumonia and/or hemoptysis for 2 to 12 months. Bronchial endoscopy showed a mass into the left (two cases), or the right main bronchus (one case). Chest CT scan identified local extension, and lung-associated lesions. Histopathological study concluded to MEC in the three cases. The patients were treated by segmental bronchial resection, completed with left upper lobectomy (two cases), bronchotomy (one case). All the tumor could be removed; there was no metastasis. The outcome was uneventful with a 8 to 24 months follow-up.
Conclusion:
Bronchial tumors of children must be considered in patients with chronic cough, recurrent pneumonia and/or hemoptysis and require bronchial endoscopy for their diagnosis.